Public has the right to know what is happening at the SAA

2015-11-24

Adv Anton Alberts

The public of South Africa has every right to know how battered the finances of the South African Airways (SAA) is and it is regrettable that the media is being prohibited from writing about it, Adv. Anton Alberts, the parliamentary spokesperson on Transport for the FF Plus says.

The SAA has obtained an urgent interdict in the Johannesburg High Court which prohibits Media24, Moneyweb and Business Day from reporting on a secret memorandum due to the real and serious damage that it could cause the airline and the ANC’s reputation.

Adv. Alberts says the court order does not make sense as Moneyweb had already placed the report on the internet before the court order was issued. Although it has been withdrawn, it is already in the public domain and it does indeed contain damning facts about the SAA.

“In addition, there are no secrets or shock that could be found in the report that is not already well-known. It is old news that the SAA is bankrupt and does not have enough money to pay its creditors.

“Similarly, it is also well-known that it has to pay huge amounts to Boeing and that there is no money for it. One does not have to be farsighted to assume that the shortage of money forms the basis of the report.

The time has come for drastic changes to be affected at the airline. Following the umpteenth so-called turn-around strategy it is clear that every attempt of the incompetent state, merely allows the airline to sink deeper in the swamp of debt and maladministration.

“The Freedom Front Plus is of the opinion that the airline should without delay be privatised to rescue it from ruin,” Adv. Alberts said.